2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

{{Infobox European Rugby Cup season

|name= 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

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|countries = {{flag|England}}
{{flag|France}}
{{flag|Georgia}}
{{flag|Ireland|rugby union}}
{{flag|Italy}}
{{flag|South Africa}}
{{flag|Wales}}

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|venue = San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao

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|website = http://www.epcrugby.com

|previous year = 2024–25

|previous tournament = 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup

|next year = 2026–27

|next tournament = 2026–27 EPCR Challenge Cup

}}

The 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup, known colloquially as the 2025-26 European Challenge Cup{{Cite web |date=12 January 2025 |title=European Challenge Cup Table - Rugby Union |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/european-challenge-cup/table |access-date=12 January 2025 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}will be the twelfth edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs competing in elite European competition. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 30th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

The final will played at in San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao{{Cite web |title=2025/26 EPCR season dates announced {{!}} Investec Champions Cup |url=https://www.epcrugby.com/champions-cup/content/202526-epcr-season-dates-announced |access-date=10 June 2025 |website=www.epcrugby.com |language=en}}.

The English team, Bath Rugby, are the reigning champions, and therefore qualified for the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup as a consequence. As they also have a top four domestic finish, the team will not initially defend their title, although they may theoretically join at the knockout phase.

Teams

Sixteen teams qualified for the 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup from Premiership Rugby, the Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship as a direct result of their domestic league performance having not qualified for the Champions Cup. Two further sides received invitations, South Africa's Cheetahs and Georgia's Black Lion.

The distribution of teams are:

England: two teams
Teams in the 2025–26 Premiership season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup.
France: six teams
Teams taking part in the 2025–26 Top 14 season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup.
Georgia: one team
one team, invited, Black Lion
Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Wales: eight teams
Eight teams in the 2025–26 United Rugby Championship season that did not qualify for the 2025–26 Champions Cup. This season, these consist of three teams from Wales (Cardiff, Dragons, and Ospreys), two from Ireland (Ulster Rugby and Connacht Rugby), two from Italy (Benetton and Zebre Parma), and one from South Africa (Lions). No Scottish team enters at the pool stage.
South Africa: one further team
One team, invited, the South African team, Cheetahs, playing their home games in the Netherlands.{{cite web |title=Black Lion and Toyota Cheetahs to continue EPCR Challenge Cup participation for next two seasons |url=https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/content/black-lion-and-toyota-cheetahs-to-continue-challenge-cup-participation |publisher=European Professional Club Rugby |access-date=27 June 2024 |date=18 June 2024}}